As your child gets older and older, school begins to require students to become independent. This is most evident in the transition from elementary school to middle school. In elementary school, teachers will generally ‘hold the hand of students’. This is in the form of walking with them from class to class, writing in planners, reminders about due dates, etc. Once students begin middle school, they’re thrown into the world of independence. All of a sudden, students are expected to walk to their classes alone, manage and keep track of their homework, and more. Middle
schools prioritize executive functioning, and because of this, some students may begin to fall behind. In this article I want to talk about how you can foster independence in your child’s learning and help them get back on track!
What is Executive Functioning?
Executive functioning is defined by understood.org as the following:
Executive function is a set of mental skills. It includes working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. We use these skills every day to learn, work, and manage daily life. Trouble with executive function can make it hard to focus, follow directions, and handle emotions, among other things.
Executive functioning is essential for fostering student independence and is important for academic development early on. It’s one of the primary reasons why it’s built into the curriculum for middle schools. If a student begins to lag in their executive function development, it can carry over into high school and even adulthood.
How to Develop Executive Functioning in Your Student
Fostering independence is important and one of the best ways to do so is by developing your student’s executive functioning skills. These skills can be built in a variety of different ways, but the following are some of the most common and reliable ways to develop executive function skills for fostering independence.
1. Set a Routine
It’s important to develop a set routine for your student. Establishing times to wake up, go to bed, and work on homework are all necessary parts in developing a student’s independence. You don’t want to personally set the routine for your student either. It’s important for them to develop it on their own and stick to it as it’s the best way for them to remain motivated and committed to it. This can be done by starting a conversation with your student. Asking your student when they want to establish their routine puts the decision making in their hands. Your role is to enforce it.
2. Encouraging Goal Setting/Planning
Establishing goals for one’s self is another important executive functioning skill. Every student is different so sitting down and having a conversation is a great way to get the ball rolling. Start by asking what their plans are for the year academically. Maybe they want to make straight As. Offering rewards for meeting a set goal also encourages the student to continue setting goals for themselves. This is an especially important skill as a student enters high school.
3. Teaching Time Management
Time management is another important aspect as students get older. While a student in middle school may not require as much time management as a high school student, instilling the skill early on sets the student up for success in the long run. It’s especially important that time management skills are taught before the student develops bad habits. When the student already has bad habits developed, it elongates the process as bad habits need to be unlearned first before time management skills can be developed.
4. Executive Functioning Coach
Many families opt for a executive functioning coach to assist with fostering student independence. These coaches are very similar to a standard tutor! I highly recommend checking out our executive functioning coach over on TenneyTutors if this sounds like the option for you! Mr. Ross works with students closely to develop skills for both middle and high schoolers. You can see his available times by visiting his scheduling page.
Meet the School that Fosters Independence!
Here at Tenney School Live, we pride ourself on our executive functioning-based curriculum. In middle school, all of our students (both online and in person) are assigned a homeroom teacher where they have binder checks, planner checks, and more! The goal of our curriculum is to set students up for success through our one-on-one learning model. The best part about it? Enrollment can be either online or in-person! Inquire today to see if we’re the right fit for your student!
